Sony Ericsson Xperia NX arriving in Japan from Feb. 24

It looks like Japanese consumers will be the first to get their hands on Sony Ericsson's 2012 smartphones. Japan's largest carrier, NTT Docomo, has announced that it'll start taking pre-orders of the Xperia NX from Feb. 10, with the first units due to go on sale on Feb. 24. Pricing information has yet to be announced.

The Xperia NX is Japan's version of the Xperia S, which was announced alongside its chunkier, waterpoof sibling the Xperia Acro HD last month. Curiously, both Japanese devices are sticking with Sony Ericsson branding, while U.S. and international variants bare the Sony name. The Xperia S, Sony's international flagship smartphone, is due to go on sale in Europe a couple of weeks later, in early March.